Switch box



April l0, 1951 A. J. LIPPOLD SWITCH BOX Filed May 4, 19'46 Patented Apr. 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE SWITCH BOX Adolph J. Lippold, Milwaukee, Vis., assignor to Cherry-Burrell Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a

corporation Application May 4, 1946, Serial No. 667,307

4 Claims.

liquids as commonly found in food processing plants such as dairy products processing plants, etc.

Under normal working conditions in food processing plants such, for example, as milk bottling plants, it has been found desirable to use relatively sturdy mechanical devices which are capable of withstanding appreciable abuse. In the instance of electrical switches for apparatus such as milk bottle fillers and cappers, it has been found desirable to use a switch which is relatively easy to switch olf and on but which nonetheless is not sensitive to relatively slight and sometimes accidental contacts. Such a switch must also be capable of satisfactory operation under adverse conditions of moisture and condensed vwater vapor.

In many types of switch housings appropriate provisions have not been made for sealing the housing against inward seepage of condensed water vapor or other liquids or the circulation of water vapor through the interior of the housing. In certain instances a portion of the circulating vapor may condense onto the electrical switch elements and produce defects in the electrical circuits. In certain designs of housings for electrical switches satisfactory arrangements have not been made to drain condensed water vapor or other liquids from the interior of the switch housing, with the result that in some instances such liquids may nd their way into the electric cable conduits connected to the switch housing. Leakage of electric current or short circuiting of the electrical system usually results.

In certain instances switch housings are also constructed in such a manner that the electrical switch elements on the interior of the switch housing are not readily accessible for repair or inspection.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a housing for an electrical switch; which may be readily opened to gain free access to the electrical switch elements contained in the housing, which is provided with means to permit (Cl. 20G-168) the ready drainage of liquids from the interior of the housing, which is sealed against the circulation of water vapor or the like through the interior of the switch housing, which is provided with electric cable conduit connections through which condensed water vapor or the like which may have gained access into the interior of the switch housing may not enter the electric cable conduit, which is provided with an outwardly extending switch actuating plunger movably sealed to the switch housing and which is relatively easy to operate and which plunger by its position indicates the relative relationship of the electrical contact elements on the interior of the switch, and which is provided with switch support elements on the interior of the housing so arranged as to suport the switch mechanism within the housing in such a manner as to prevent possible contact of the switch elements with condensed water vapor or the like which may have formed in or found its way into the interior of the switch housing by supporting the switch upon the base element above the line of juncture between the base element and the cover element of the housing and above the opening into the drain passages.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention may appear more obvious from a consideration of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved housing for an electrical switch;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the improved switch housing; and

Figure 3 is a front end elevational view partially in broken away section of the improved switch housing.

Referring to the drawings, in which like elements are identied by like numerals, I0 represents the base of the housing for an electrical switch, and I I represents the top or cover portion of the switch housing. The electrical switch device generally identified by the numeral I2 is supported on three studs I3 in the base I0 of the housing. Two of the studs I3 are positioned in the rear portion of the base I0 of the housing, and the third stud I3 is positioned toward the front central portion of the base I6. The triangularly shaped base of the switch mechanism I2 is secured to the supporting studs I3 by screws I4.

The electrical circuit controlled by switch I2 is opened or closed as a result of the up or down movement of the pivoted spring biased switch lever I. The lever I5 is provided with a cross bar I6 for engagement with the motion transmission tongs I'I of the switch actuating plunger i8. The plunger I8 extends out of the housing through an opening in the cover portion II of the switch housing.

The plunger I8 is slidingly or frictionally supported in an extended bushing or sleeve I9, pressfitted and sealed into the plunger aperture in the cover section l i of the switch housing. The hand grip element 20, preferably made of rubber or like material, is secured to the top of the plunger shaft i il and sealingly overlaps the upper portion of the bushing I9 extending above section Il of the switch housing, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. By virtue of the described arrangement between the bushing I9, plunger shaft i8 and hand grip 29, the plunger opening through the cover Il of the switch housing is thoroughly sealed against water vapor or the like, as well as sealed against water and other liquids.

The tongs I'I, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, are secured to the lower portion of the plunger shaft I3 by the two nuts 2E immediately below a condensate deflector element 22. element 22 is supported on the plunger shaft I8 by the tongs Il and abuts against the shoulder 23 of the Shaft I8.

rIhe upward motion of the plunger shaft I8 and the switch actuating tongs I1 is limited by the engagement of the deector element 22 with the lower extremity of the bushing I9. The downward motion of the plunger shaft I8 and motion transmission tongs II is limited by the engagement of the stud extension 24 at the lower end of the shaft I8 with a stop block 25 in the base II) of the switch housing.

The two sections I and II of the switch housing are secured together by anchor bolts 26 which extend upwardly through suitable openings in the lower section IQ of the housing and are anchored in lugs 2l in the upper portion II of the switch housing.

To protect the electrical elements of the switch from the exposed metal surfaces of the upper f portion or cover I I of the switch housing, insulation strips 2S are secured to the interior of the cover Ii.

To provide against the contingency of the possible accumulation of condensate in the switch housing, the lower portion or base I is provided with a number of condensate drain openings 28', whereby any accumulated condensate or other liquid which has found its way into the interior of the switch housing may freely drain therefrom.

To assure the avoidance of the drainage of any condensed water vapor or other like liquid into the electrical conductor conduit connected to the coupling 2E, through which the electrical wires enter the switch housing and to which the conduit for the electrical wires is secured, the coupling 29 is provided on the interior of the switch housing with a raised flange 3S extending above the inner surface of the base I6 to a point substantially in alignment with the line of division between the sections I0 and iI or" the switch housing.

In the operation of the switch the electrical circuits may be connected or disconnected by the appropriate upward or downward movement of The the plunger IB which, by means of the tongs I'I and the cross bar I6 on the switch lever I5, will move the switch lever I5 in such a manner as to connect or disconnect the electrical circuits associated with switch l2 in a manner common in the electrical switch art.

The preferred embodiment of applicants invention as `iust described provides a new and novel housing for an'electrical switch of sturdy construction which is especially well adapted for use under adverse conditions of moisture and under circumstances in which the switch housing is from time to time exposed to liquid and in which from time to time the switch housing may be subjected to severe abuse.

Having thus described the illustrated and preferred embodiment of this invention in an improved housing fcr an electrical switch, the invention is not to be restricted to the specically illustrated embodiment thereof as set forth in the drawings and as heretofore described, except in so far as necessary by the prior art and the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a housing, mechanism within said housing having element adapted to be moved with respect to the remainder of said mechanism and with respect to said housing, a friction sleeve extending through an opening in said housing and secured thereto, a plunger slidably and fricticnally supported intcriorly within and by said sleeve and extending at its ends beyond said sleeve, and tong means carried by said plunger and adapted to engage said element for the movement thereof upon the movement of said plunger.

2. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a housing, mechanism within said housing having an element adapted to be moved with respect to the remainder of said mechanism and with respect to said housing, a friction sleeve extending through an opening in said housing and secured thereto, a plunger slidably supported interiorly within and by said sleeve and extending at its ends beyond said sleeve, tong means carried by said plunger and adapted to engage said element for the movement thereof upon the movement of said plunger, and means secured to said plunger and sealingly engaging a portion of said sleeve extending out of said housing.

3. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a sectional housing, mechanism within said sectional housing having an element adapted to be moved with respect to said housing and with respect to the remainder of said mechanism, a friction sleeve extending through an opening in said housing and sealingly secured thereto, plunger means slidably and frictionally supported interiorly within and by said sleeve and extending at its ends beyond said sleeve for moving said element, and means associated with said plunger for abutment against said sleeve and said housing for limiting the motion of said plunger.

4. A device of the type described, comprising, in combination, a casing, mechanism within said casing adapted to be actuated in response to the movement of a plunger, a friction sleeve eX- tending through an opening in said casing and secured thereto, a plunger slidably and frictiont ally supported in said sleeve and extending at its ends beyond said sleeve, and means connecting said plunger and said mechanism for the actuation of said mechanism upon the movement of said plunger, said plunger being provided With means for abutment against said sleeve and said casing for limiting the motion of said plunger.

ADOLPH J. LIPPOLD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 836,352 Youmans Nov. 20, 1906 1,039,248 Bliss Sept. 24, 1912 1,413,058 Richardson Apr, 18, 1922 Number Brown Nov. 30, 1948 

